Skip to content
instance method · added in Ruby 3.3

Module#set_temporary_name

(::string?) -> self
mod.set_temporary_name(string) → self
mod.set_temporary_name(nil) → self

Sets the temporary name of the module. This name is reflected in introspection of the module and the values that are related to it, such as instances, constants, and methods.

The name should be nil or a non-empty string that is not a valid constant path (to avoid confusing between permanent and temporary names).

The method can be useful to distinguish dynamically generated classes and modules without assigning them to constants.

If the module is given a permanent name by assigning it to a constant, the temporary name is discarded. A temporary name can’t be assigned to modules that have a permanent name.

If the given name is nil, the module becomes anonymous again.

Example:

Example
m = Module.new # => #<Module:0x0000000102c68f38>
m.name #=> nil

m.set_temporary_name("fake_name") # => fake_name
m.name #=> "fake_name"

m.set_temporary_name(nil) # => #<Module:0x0000000102c68f38>
m.name #=> nil

c = Class.new
c.set_temporary_name("MyClass(with description)") # => MyClass(with description)

c.new # => #<MyClass(with description):0x0....>

c::M = m
c::M.name #=> "MyClass(with description)::M"

# Assigning to a constant replaces the name with a permanent one
C = c

C.name #=> "C"
C::M.name #=> "C::M"
c.new # => #<C:0x0....>

Ruby version changes

  1. 3.3